Blair warns Sinn Fein on violence

Last updated at 13:16 28 January 2005

Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams "in the starkest terms" that his party would be locked out of Northern Ireland devolution unless the IRA gives up crime and violence.

Mr Blair delivered his message at hour-long talks with Mr Adams and his party's chief negotiator Martin McGuinness at Chequers this morning.

The premier said he "accepted fully" the verdict of Northern Ireland's chief constable Hugh Orde that the IRA had been responsible for the £26 million Northern Bank raid.

Mr Adams emerged from the meeting, saying that both sides agreed that the peace process was "in profound difficulties".

Mr Blair will meet his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern next Tuesday in No 10, when the two leaders will be briefed further on the investigation into the bank raid.

After today's talks a Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The Prime Minister told Sinn Fein that he accepted fully the chief constable's view that the Northern Bank robbery had been carried out by the IRA.

"He and the Taisoeach will be briefed further on the robbery and the investigation by the Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable and the Garda Commissioner when they meet next Tuesday in Downing Street.

"The Prime Minister told Sinn Fein that such activity was incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process.

"He said that while he still wanted to find a way forward which included Sinn Fein, it was his duty as Prime Minister to underline, in the starkest terms, that that would not be possible if paramilitary and criminal activity continued to be carried out by the IRA in defiance of the wishes of the people of Ireland, north and south, as expressed in the 1998 referendum.

"A complete and verifiable end to all such activity by the IRA would be essential if progress towards such an inclusive agreement were to be possible."

Mr Adams said outside Chequers: "I think it is true to say that both sides are agreed that the process is in profound difficulties

"The Prime Minister, as you would expect, gave his view of why this is so and we gave our view of why this is so and there was straight talking about that."